at least out loud
by elations
Summary: Sokka would never admit to having a crush on Zuko. At least, out loud. Implied Zukka. Written for the Secret Admirer Challenge.


**AN: Written for a competition! Prompt: Sokka secretly admires Zuko.**

* * *

It wasn't his fault at all. It was completely all on Zuko, that Fire Nation bad boy with his stupid shaggy hair. Everyone was infatuated with him on some level or another, but Sokka refused to play his game. Even his sister who hated the guys guts was enamoured and Sokka despised it.

That's why when they ran into Suki at Boiling Rock, Sokka was insurmountably relieved. He wouldn't fall into the clutches of the strangely handsome prince. No way, no how. With Suki around, he had plenty of distraction from that jerkbender.

Even though their time together on their mission had put the non-bender into extreme danger of catching the "Zuko flu" as he called it, everything was going to be alright.

He just felt there had been something, some kind of bonding moment when it was them against the world. They just worked so well, like a well oiled machine. It's like they were two parts of the same whole, or something equally as ridiculous sounding.

He wouldn't admit it. At least out loud, where the words became alive and had actual meaning. Saying he had an itsy bitsy (huge) crush on Zuko was giving the idea solidity. If he only said it in his head, what was the harm of that? It was just an idea, and ideas weren't anything unless you put them into practice or shared them.

Sokka had not, absolutely not, been incredibly jealous when Aang commandeered Zuko into some stupid firebending quest with dragons and crap. Simultaneously, though, he wondered how he could top dragons in the list of marvelous things to see with your (totally not) crush.

There just was no topping dragons.

Sokka didn't try to spend time with the prince simply because he was never free. One or another of the group was constantly hanging out with the guy because, of course, everyone had Zuko-flu. Even Suki couldn't completely help herself, but Sokka knew it was only to be expected.

"Hey, are you angry with me?"

Sokka had been admiring the moon one night, wondering what being the moon entailed, when a familiar rasping voice joined him. The warrior stiffened, resisted the urge to whip around and let himself believe Zuko had actually sought him out.

"No," Sokka replied curtly. He didn't want to say anything more than he had to, otherwise words were liable to slip out. Words you didn't want to share.

"Can I sit with you?"

Sokka gave a jerky nod and Zuko settled himself into the soft grass beside the other young man. They both watched the expanse of sea before them, their silence interrupted only by the crashing of the waves and the laughter of their friends somewhere behind them.

His hand is so close to mine, his inside dialogue practically screeched. Just a few more inches…

"It feels like you've been ignoring me lately. That's why I asked if you were mad," Zuko confessed, still looking out at the dark sea. Sokka hated the way he looked, all pale and glowy in the moonlight. Wasn't it illegal to look this good? Or was that the Fire Nation's secret weapon: really good looking people?

"You've been busy with everyone else. They can't get enough of you. Even Katara, and she hates your guts." Zuko gave a low sort of chuckle that gave Sokka goosebumps.

"I'm sure it's just because I'm a new commodity. They'll get tired of me eventually." A heartbeat, then: "You really think she likes me?"

"I don't know, Katara does all kinds of weird girl stuff," he said, shrugging it off. He was used to his sister being weird all of the time. Sokka didn't know what after that, letting the silence fill the space between them instead.

"I know this seems kind of odd, but what happened to your mother?"

"Why do you want to know?" Sokka was stunned, what did he know? What had Katara said?

"Katara's mentioned it in one of our yelling matches and I...I want to know if I can make things better between her and I."

Of course, Katara gets aaaaall the attention.

"It's not a day I like to remember," Sokka began hoarsely.

So he told Zuko about the Fire Nation raiders and what they had done to his mother. The horror of it all, having a mother and then suddenly not. Zuko was able to identify the soldiers by their flag, the one with the sea ravens.

"Thanks, Sokka. I think there's something I can do after all." Zuko all but sprang to his pointy shoed feet, some kind of brilliant idea sparking behind his eyes.

"Well don't be too optimistic. Katara could hold a grudge for an eternity." Which he knew from experience.

"I just have to get her trust back. It's really important," Zuko insisted, still looking like destiny had plopped down right in front of him.

"Ew, don't tell me you like like Katara," Sokka said, wrinkling up his nose. Gross enough that it was his baby sister, worse that he had lost out to her.

"She's just, I don't know," Zuko stopped, searching frustratedly for the words. "There's something about her that I can't shake. Maybe she'll stop hating me if I can give her the chance for some closure."

"Whatever," Sokka sighed, ending their conversation. Zuko left with a spring in his step and Sokka was left to nurse his bruised feelings. But that was fine, at least he still had Suki.


End file.
